It was Jennifer's turn to awake alone in bed, the distant scent of coffee and bacon wafting in under her exhaustion.
She sat up to find her body was, unsurprisingly, quite sore. From the hike the day before, to the wicked activities through the night. Jonathan had indeed tested her flexibility, and if the way he groaned into the space between her breasts was any indication - he was impressed.
The sheets were cool. Jonathan must have been up for some time. Jennifer looked through their abandoned clothes for something of hers. It was a wild scatter of abandon so she settled on the first thing she came to - Jonathan's flannel.
The bathroom was chilly and Jennifer made a half-hearted attempt at a few morning ablutions. If nothing else, she would brush her teeth.
Wrapping her arms around her middle she went out to find Jonathan, wincing a little at the tightness through her lower back. A day on horseback would no doubt loosen her up, but the discomfort would be double tomorrow if she didn't take a few ibuprofen.
And an hour or so in the hot tub probably wouldn't be amiss either. She was sure she could entice Jonathan to join her, and she was even more assured she could wrangle a massage out of him. Especially if she offered one in return.
The thought of his muscular shoulders beneath her hands gave her a thrill. The thrill became a throb when she found him in the kitchen, his bare chest covered with an apron that looked like a tuxedo. He was flipping bacon and humming to the music that played from the stereo in the corner.
It was so…domestic.
And in that domesticity was an eroticism that Jennifer wasn't sure she'd ever experienced.
He was cooking breakfast. For her.
No one had ever done that before. Not even her parents, who had the help to prepare the meals until the loss of her mother. After that, Jennifer rarely ate at home but in an auditorium full of girls.
"Good morning, beautiful." Jonathan said without turning around. He continued to watch the bacon with a sharp eye but he flashed a boyish grin over his shoulder.
"Hardly." Jennifer pushed at her hair, still rumpled and tangled from the night. "How do you manage to look so sexy in that ridiculous apron?"
His grin was so wide she could swear it twinkled at her and he looked younger in that moment. Boyish, almost, with his own hair tousled from her grasping fingers.
"Speaking of sexy." He let his gaze roam over her slowly, from her bare feet to where her thighs disappeared beneath the hem of his shirt. She hadn't buttoned it all the way and she arched her back just enough so that his pupils dilated.
"I hope you're hungry." He said, producing a plate of crisp bacon. Although his eyes were speaking of another kind of appetite all together.
"Starved," She helped herself to a mug and fixed herself a cup of coffee. "For food ."
Jonathan snorted as he removed a second cast iron skillet from the oven, where he'd been keeping scrambled eggs warm. There was toast and butter already on the breakfast nook table, and small glasses of orange juice. Jennifer chose a seat.
"I figure we could have some breakfast then pack up sandwiches and go down to meet the horses. We can ride around the lake and have lunch whenever we get hungry."
"That sounds wonderful." Jonathan placed a plate in front of her then tangled his fingers in her messy hair. He tugged gently until she turned her face in front up to meet his sweet, chaste kiss. "Good morning."
It was a glorious morning, unfettered by nerves or discomfort. He made her comfortable, kept her engaged. And the food was great - far better than anything she might have cooked up herself. She helped him clean up the kitchen and load the dishwasher before they dressed for the afternoon.
She'd been astounded - bowled clean over - when Jonathan sheepishly presented her with a duffle full of brand new clothing. Jeans and flannels and a vest. There were a few pieces of underwear, too. Scraps of lace in bright colors that had her raising her eyebrow in his direction.
He was barely bothered and grinned in that naughty way he had. "I assumed you wouldn't have proper riding gear."
Jennifer held up a black wonderbra, very similar to the one she'd worn on their first night together. "This is proper riding gear?"
"In a manner of speaking." She tried to maintain a stern face, but she dissolved into delighted giggles when he merely shrugged.
Incorrigible man.
She was like a child on Christmas morning. It hadn't taken her more than ten minutes to dress and fix her hair, before she was bouncing on the balls of her feet and encouraging him to move faster.
"This is a lot more fun when we're horizontal." He mumbled, sitting to pull on his boots. When he was finally ready, he slapped his palms on his thighs and pushed up. She was smirking at him before turning to head back to the kitchen. They had sandwiches and a thermos of tea packed up on the counter.
"Tell me about them." Jennifer nearly skipped at his side, and her enthusiasm was infectious.
"You'll be riding Cochise," He pointed to where the horses grazed lazily in the paddock. He's a thirteen year old gelding. I've had him since he was just a foal. He was a gift from a friend. Ybarra, the chestnut mare, is nearly eighteen now. She retired from a working ranch a few years ago. I brought her home for the weekend and she bonded with Cochise almost immediately. They haven't been separated since."
They approached the fence, and Jonathan put his foot up on one of the cross planks. He whistled once, a piercing call, and both horses perked up immediately. On spotting them, it was Cochise who trotted forward first, his head high and alert. Ybarra moseyed up at her own pace, eyeing the newcomer warily.
"They're beautiful," Jennifer breathed when Cochise was close enough to nuzzle at her hand. "Oh, we don't have anything to give them. We should have brought some apples."
"We'll use sweet grain to lure them over to the barn. They like to play games when it's time to come in. We'll need it." Ybarra stopped several feet away, her head lowered and her ears twitching at Jennifer.
"She may not look it, but she's a sweetheart." Jonathan murmured to his horse and she sidestepped over to him, careful to keep her head in Jennifer's direction. "She's just wary of new people."
It occurred to him that Ybarra was a lot like Jennifer. Beautiful. So beautiful it frightened some people. And, like his beloved mare, Jennifer held herself at a distance until she understood there was no threat. Jonathan didn't think Ybarra had been treated poorly, at least not by the ranchers who handled her. But she'd seen enough to know that people weren't always trustworthy.
Mare and woman stared each other down until Jennifer dropped her head and looked away from Ybarra.
"I know," She murmured to the horse, low and sweet. "You take your time."
Cochise, never having outgrown his playful adolescence, snuffled at Jennifer's pockets looking for a snack. He snorted when he couldn't find anything, and put his face to Jennifer's. With great care she leaned forward, pressing her forehead to the horse's. Cochise sighed heavily, rubbed his head up and down once, and closed his eyes. Jonathan watched as Jennifer closed hers as well, then cupped her hand to Cochise's lips. She scratched there gently until the horse began to sway into her touch.
Good to know even his horse would fall under her spell. He didn't blame Cochise a bit.
Jennifer almost jerked when Ybarra nudged at her other arm, nibbling sweetly at her fingers before lifting her head to snuffle at Jennifer's neck.
"She likes you." Jonathan whispered, amazed.
Jennifer's eyes drifted shut again, bliss on her features. "The feeling is mutual."
They stood that way for a while, until Jonathan had to nudge Jennifer out of her horse-induced stupor. He motioned towards the barn. 'Halters and grain are in the tack room."
Jennifer nodded and stepped away from the two fully contented equines, looking sorry to leave them for even a second.
"We'll be back," He consoled and wrapped his arm around her waist, unable to resist the urge to kiss the top of her head. She was like a piece to the puzzle of his life that hadn't appeared to be missing. But now that she was slotted in place, she changed the entire picture in the best way. Jonathan thought he might should be a little frightened at that prospect, but he'd only felt this way once before. On the street corner in San Francisco, when he first heard that distinctive rumble. "I promise."
There was a rustle behind them as the two horses stepped in tandem, following the couple up the slope to the red building.
"They really like you," Jonathan said, watching them come along, not a hint of their usual antics in sight. About fifty yards from the bar, Cochise hopped a little, playfully nibbling at Ybarra's neck. He gave the mare a little shoulder bump and a jaunty little kick. Ybarra just flattened her ears at the younger horse and kept plodding forward, all business. Cochise, realizing his antics weren't working, settled right down.
Tamed, for the moment. Just like him.
The wind whipped through Jennifer's hair as she and Cochise cantered through the valley. She heard Jonathan kiss to Ybarra, but then he was lost to the wind. She had been right. Climbing up on the horse at first had been difficult. Stiff legs and arms, her lower back protesting. But it took less than a handful of minutes in the saddle before she felt the blood rushing in her veins. She spun the gelding a few circles, testing out his cues. Left, right, whoa. He hardly needed the reins, so adept he was at heeding the cues of her heels. But his muscles rippled with the desire to run, and who was she to thwart such an obvious desire. She turned and gave Jonathan her most devastating smile.
And then she nudged Cochise, the tiniest pressure of her heels as she loosened the reins. That was all the encouragement he needed; the horse rocketed into motion. Jennifer had no idea where she was going, so she let him find his sure footed way around the sparkling water of the lake. Every so often he would flick his ears back, checking for Ybarra. As soon as he heard them, he would leap forward again, determined to keep the lead.
There was a dirt track that curved between the trees and Jennifer slowed Cochise enough so that Jonathan and Ybarra could catch up. The horses nickered to each other as they trotted along before both riders gave the horses their heads. The two kept pace with one another for a while longer, until both horses quieted down to a gentle walk.
Jennifer knew her smile was a little delirious when she looked over to Jonathan. He looked so very pleased with himself, although she couldn't really blame him.
"How did you know I needed this?" She asked, breathy from the thrill of the ride and the way Jonathan was watching her. So clear and open. She stepped Cochise closer and Jonathan reached out to curl his gloved hands around his neck.
His face blurred before he kissed her, a kiss that was so familiar and so new at the same time.
Reaching out, Jennifer pulled him into a hug. He was warm and firm beside her, Ybarra standing stock still.
When Jennifer sat back, she was shocked to realize her cheeks were wet. She could claim it was from the stinging wind in her eyes, but that wasn't it.
Jonathan's expression softened, and he brushed a tear away with his thumb.
"Come on, darling. Let's get the horses some water."
This time, it was Jennifer's turn to walk dociley behind him.
I like you, she thought to herself. And for once, it didn't scare her.